I don't know what is wrong with my cat!!!!!! Behavioral problems. Help?

I have a male cat named Marley that is about 10 months old. He was found in a field at 7 weeks by a friend and we decided to take him. My boyfriend and I live in an apartment.


Everything was great for awhile besides he just needed to get used to us. Then he was soooo lovey. He wouldn't stop purring long enough for the vet to hear his heart beat no matter what the vet tried!!! Everything was great!


But these last few months have been HELL. He started chewing my shoes like a dog!!! He rips the furniture with his teeth!!! He grabs pillows with his teeth and back claws and rips in opposite directions!! He also gets into the litter box and dumps the litter out. EVERYWHERE. We even have a covered box and a floor mat and it doesn't help. If we pour water in his bowl he dumps it over within SECONDS.


We're at our wits end. We don't know what to do!!!


He's tearing up the house and if it continues we don't see ourselves keeping him much longer.


Please help us!!!!

I don't know what is wrong with my cat!!!!!! Behavioral problems. Help?
Sounds like a smart cat who is not getting enough mental exercise. He is finding ways to entertain himself.





To prevent him shredding your pillows (which is predatory behavior) provide him with a stuffed dog toy with a string tied around it. Drag it on the floor, flip it through the air, and eventually let him catch it and "kill" it. When play is over, put the toy away so that he will be interested in it the next time.





Put away shoes, remote controls, or anything else he might chew on. Make sure he has toys available for chewing. PetStages makes some great ones. And if he does seem to have a penchant for leather shoes you can give him rawhide to chew on, instead.





Place his water bowl inside a casserole dish to catch any water he might spill.





I would also feed him a few times a week (thought one meal a day would be great) out of a Treat-N-Play or Busy Buddy (actually a dog toy, but it still works) toy. He will need to figure out how to get the food out, working his brain. I have used this with several frustrated cats in the shelter where I work and they loved it.





Finally, consider teaching him some tricks using clicker training. There are lots of books and web sites with info on this.





ADDED: his biting of your legs and then running off sounds like predatory or attention-getting behavior. If predatory, the dog toy play should help. If attention-getting, as hard as it is, ignore him. Give him attention for behaviors that you like (rubbing against your legs, playing with a toy, sitting by your feet, etc.).





Yes, running into walls and stumbling is odd. He should be examined by a vet to rule out neurological, ear, or other problems.
Reply:I would call the vet to see what they think. He might have somethin wrong if he is bumping into walls. That is not normal no matter how much aggression he has. I have a male cat that spazzes every once in a while but it is playful.


He could have something going on in his brain.
Reply:Wow I have never seen a cat do this. I have a cat and it acts like a dog but not in that way LOL. Umm it there any thing new in the house (baby another animal?) stuff like that. Because things like that can make a pet change Good Luck
Reply:Has he been NEUTERED????? If he hasn't, it is way past time. Neutering should help calm his aggression. Get him neutered and if this doesn't work have you considered possibly getting him a playmate? Maybe he's just really bored.
Reply:(1) he is still a kitten


(2) is he neutered? neutering a cat will help nip alot of this in the bud.
Reply:Take him to the vets to check he isn't blind.
Reply:Being a "wild" or feral cat is not genetic but behavioral. We have a rescue/feral cat we took in when he was 9 months old. He is now 2 1/2. It has taken some patience to get him to trust us. Noodles has become a great cat.





As far as your cat being "energetic" I would get him a playmate. Our female cat was a nuisance until we brought Noodles inside. Now, when she wants to play, she simply "attacks" Noodles.





The stumbling thing should be checked by a vet. Could be something simple like an ear infection, but better to get it checked.





Good luck,


Stacey
Reply:Take him to the vet. We have a crazy cat, which has caused me to do a lot of research. It sounds like your cat has some aggression issues. Some of it sounds like kitten behavior (dumping water, dumping litter), which he'll grow out of. Some of it sounds like maybe your kitten has some issues that the vet may be able to diagnose and help you resolve. If your vet says, "oh he'll just grow out of it" take him to another vet.
Reply:OK my friend had a dog that had a drastic personality change like that. I thought your cat sounded like it has behaviour problems until I read that he is unsteady and bumping into walls etc. My friends dog started doing that and it ended up having a major health problem (I think it was his liver and the toxins were building up in his system). Unfourtunately the dog had to be put down. I would take the cat to a vet in case it is a physical problem and I would do it ASAP.
Reply:He sounds like a teenager with problems ! and that is I suppose what he is in cat years !


Have you tried squirting him with a small water pistol when his behavior is bad ie biting !....that usually works also get him neutered as I think that could be the answer to your problems ....good luck.
Reply:First of all if he's not fixed do so now--believe me it will help





Don't use your hands as toys





Play with him often.





We use a product from petsmart called feliway (auroma therapy for cats) It works great





Get him checked out by the vet the falling over and bumping into walls could be something serious and the cause of the behavior



BIRD